Amman, Aug. 10 (FANA/Petra) — Jordan’s healthcare sector recorded
broad advances in infrastructure, specialized treatment,
pharmaceutical regulation and digital services during 2025-2026, as
the Kingdom expanded hospital capacity, introduced advanced medical
technologies and strengthened access to healthcare.

The developments included the addition of 577 hospital beds,
rehabilitation of 49 health centers and establishment of 14 new
centers, alongside expanded digital healthcare coverage and the
introduction of advanced treatments, including gene therapies and
robotic surgery.

The sector’s development also reflects the Royal vision of His
Majesty King Abdullah II to build an efficient healthcare system
combining technological advancement with national and humanitarian
responsibility.

Among the major initiatives was the Royal initiative to receive and
treat 2,000 sick and injured children from the Gaza Strip in
Jordanian hospitals. Jordan also signed an agreement to provide 4.1
million citizens with comprehensive and sustainable cancer treatment
coverage through the King Hussein Cancer Center’s “Reaya” program.

The Ministry of Health’s expansion program increased the number of
beds in the national healthcare system by around 10 percent. A major
component was the inauguration by King Abdullah of Princess Basma
Hospital in Irbid, with a capacity of 504 beds.

His Royal Highness Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II also
inaugurated the Jerash Comprehensive Health Center and the Jordan
Digital Health Center in Salt District.

The Digital Health Center provides remote services in dialysis,
radiology and intensive care, as well as telemedicine consultations
through audio and video communication, aimed at reducing travel and
waiting times and addressing shortages in certain medical
specialties.

Development projects also included the rehabilitation of Amman Field
Hospital with advanced emergency, intensive care and dialysis
departments, laying the foundation stone for a new building at Prince
Faisal Hospital in Russeifa and establishing an open-heart surgery
department at Zarqa Government Hospital.

The ministry also established or rehabilitated 13 strategic medical
warehouses across the Kingdom, equivalent to 40 percent of its total
medical storage facilities.

Healthcare quality and governance measures included reactivating the
Higher Health Council and establishing the headquarters of the Arab
Board of Health Specializations in Jordan.

A further 27 healthcare facilities received accreditation, bringing
the number of Ministry of Health facilities accredited by the Health
Care Accreditation Council to 216. Eight new medical subspecialties
were introduced, raising the total number of accredited
subspecialties to 20.

Al-Bashir Hospitals and Al-Iman Hospital in Ajloun also ranked first
in the National Integrity Index.

Clinical services were expanded through the inclusion of the
pneumococcal vaccine in the National Immunization Program and the
introduction of unified national cancer treatment protocols in
cooperation with the King Hussein Cancer Center, Royal Medical
Services and university hospitals.

National protocols were also introduced for treating acute cardiac
conditions through catheterization and for stroke cases.

To reduce pressure on hospitals and shorten waiting times, the
ministry began implementing appointment management systems at
Al-Bashir, Prince Hamzah, Zarqa and Princess Basma hospitals, while
extending evening operating hours at nearby comprehensive health
centers.

National measures were also introduced to reduce waiting times for
MRI scans and mammograms.

The ministry developed 19 pieces of legislation governing the
healthcare sector and launched the National Quality and Patient
Safety Strategy 2024-2030, the Climate Change Adaptation Strategy and
the National Cancer Control Strategy 2026-2030.

It also expanded cooperation with other national institutions,
including agreements with the King Hussein Cancer Center to cover 4.1
million citizens under the Reaya program and maintain treatment for
previously referred patients, with the Royal Medical Services to
provide healthcare services in Azraq District, and with the Public
Security Directorate to develop pre-hospital emergency services.

Jordan also hosted the eighth conference of health ministers of
Organization of Islamic Cooperation member states and signed five
international memoranda of understanding.

Jordan Food and Drug Administration (JFDA) Director General Rana
Obeidat told the Jordan News Agency (Petra) that the Kingdom has
continued to strengthen its pharmaceutical regulatory framework by
aligning national requirements with international standards.

The JFDA officially joined the Pharmaceutical Inspection Co-operation
Scheme (PIC/S) at the beginning of 2026, a step Obeidat said
strengthens Jordan’s pharmaceutical inspection system and facilitates
the entry of locally manufactured medicines into international
markets.

The development follows the JFDA’s membership in the United States
Pharmacopeia since 2010 and its accession to the International
Council for Harmonisation of Technical Requirements for
Pharmaceuticals for Human Use (ICH) in 2024.

Jordan has 33 pharmaceutical manufacturing plants exporting products
to more than 80 countries.

Pharmaceutical exports reached JD729.3 million in 2025, comprising
2,279 pharmaceutical products shipped to 54 international markets.
The number of medicines registered with the JFDA reached 9,056.

Jordan Private Hospitals Association President Fawzi Hammouri said
the Kingdom continues to strengthen its position as a regional
medical tourism center, supported by its recognition as a medical and
wellness tourism destination by the UN tourism agency.

Jordan’s private healthcare sector has introduced a range of advanced
medical technologies, including robotic surgery, genetically modified
CAR-T cell therapy for blood cancers, liver transplantation and
treatments for rare inherited bone marrow disorders, including
cerebral adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD).

The sector has also introduced digital dental implant procedures
without conventional surgery and artificial intelligence-supported
four-dimensional MRI technology designed to improve diagnostic
accuracy and reduce examination times.

Under King Abdullah’s initiative to treat 2,000 children from Gaza,
private hospitals had received around 700 sick and injured children
from the Strip by August 2026, including patients requiring complex
medical and surgical treatment.

Hammouri said Jordan’s medical tourism sector also benefits from the
combination of healthcare services with natural therapeutic
destinations, including the Dead Sea and mineral springs, alongside
religious and historical attractions such as the Baptism Site.

Digital transformation has become another major component of
healthcare development, with the “Hakeem” program, launched by
Electronic Health Solutions in 2009 under Royal patronage, expanding
to 500 computerized healthcare facilities across the Kingdom.

The program automated and computerized an additional 153 Ministry of
Health facilities, bringing the ministry’s total to 410, including 31
hospitals, 372 health centers and seven medical laboratories.

Hakeem services have expanded to include the “Hakeem Exchange”
platform, artificial intelligence technologies for interpreting
radiology images and financial billing and accounting systems.

The “My Hakeem” application, developed in 2021, allows users to
access medical records, laboratory results and radiology reports,
book appointments, arrange monthly medication deliveries and make
electronic payments.

The application also includes the “Shahm” virtual assistant, which
provides round-the-clock responses to user inquiries.

The Ministry of Health’s digitalization program has also connected
the Digital Health Center with 12 government hospitals and three
health centers to provide telemedicine services, while 77 additional
electronic services have been automated.

Electronic Health Solutions’ “HDA” program has established the Jordan
Health Registry (JHR), incorporating national registries covering
diabetes, dialysis and newborn hearing screening to provide data for
scientific research and evidence-based healthcare decision-making.

Jordan has also moved to expand professional specialization in
nursing and midwifery.

Jordanian Nursing Council Secretary General Hani Nawafleh told Petra
that Cabinet approval of the 2026 Nursing and Midwifery
Specialization and Technical Classification Regulation marked an
important step in developing specialized nursing professions.

He said the regulation was developed following a comprehensive review
of international practices and in line with the vision of HRH
Princess Muna Al Hussein, President of the Jordanian Nursing Council,
to strengthen Jordan’s role as a regional center of nursing expertise
and expand the pool of specialized professionals available to
national and international healthcare institutions.

The expansion of infrastructure, specialized medical services,
pharmaceutical regulation and digital healthcare reflects Jordan’s
efforts to develop a more integrated and sustainable healthcare
system while strengthening the Kingdom’s position as a regional
provider of medical services.

//Petra// RZ